Blaze in Harrogate district barns with 150 tonnes of straw bales

Two barns containing 150 tonnes of straw bales in Green Hammerton went up in flames just after 10pm last night.

Firefighters from Acomb, Knaresborough, York, Harrogate and Boroughbridge rushed to the scene and some are still on site this morning.

They used large jets to bring the fire under control and then focused on letting the fire burn out safely, according to a spokesman for North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service.

The spokesman told the Stray Ferret the firefighters were expected to remain on site for several hours today until the fire was completely extinguished. He added:

“We are still at the stage of controlling it and monitoring it. The investigation into the cause will start when that is done.”

There are typically about 40 bales of straw in a tonne, which indicates the scale of last night’s fire. Nobody is believed to have been hurt..

Read more:

 

Harrogate GP surgery postpones non-urgent blood tests as supply crisis deepens

A Harrogate GP surgery has warned it will have to postpone non-urgent blood tests as the national blood supply crisis affects the district.

The Spa Surgery has said it will contact patients to rearrange routine blood tests but said urgent blood tests will continue as normal. Other local GP practices are also believed to be affected.

The surgery, which is based at Mowbray Square Medical Centre, said on Facebook:

“As you may have seen on the national news, there is a global shortage of the sample tubes we use when we do blood tests.

“This means if you have a routine (non urgent) blood test booked with us in the coming few weeks, we may be getting in touch with you to rearrange it. We will still be doing urgent blood tests and these will be processed as normal.

“We have also removed the online booking option on our practice website to ensure we can strictly control our stocks of sample tubes.”

Supply chain problems, exacerbated by Brexit, have caused numerous problems lately, with supermarkets among those affected.

Read more:

The British Medical Association, a professional body for doctors in the UK, said in a statement yesterday the shortage of blood tubes across hospitals and GP surgeries was now severe and if the NHS did not reduce the amount being used in the coming days, even the most clinically important blood tests may be at risk.

The statement added doctors had “made plain their concerns about the implications for patients and their anger that this shortage has been allowed to happen” and the situation was now urgent.

Dr David Wrigley, BMA council deputy chair, said:

“This crisis has put doctors and their patients in a terrible, unenviable position. No doctor knowingly undertakes unnecessary blood tests and to now have to ration all those we are doing, as well as cancel hundreds more, goes against everything we stand for as clinicians.

“However, if we don’t try to follow the NHS guidance, it’s clear we will get to the point where even the most clinically urgent of blood tests may not be able to be done as we simply won’t have the tubes for the blood to go into.

“We are at a very perilous point and it’s surprising that NHS England hasn’t declared a critical incident given the very strong possibility that NHS organisations may temporarily lose the ability to provide lifesaving diagnostic testing.

“Many GP practices – like mine – will now have to spend hours assessing which already scheduled tests can or cannot be cancelled and this takes time away from frontline patient care when it is most needed. Cancelling tests makes patients anxious and can mean a missed diagnosis.”

Have you been affected by the blood shortage? Email us at contact@thestrayferret.co.uk.

Harrogate Town appoints Sarah Barry as chief executive

Harrogate Town has appointed Sarah Barry to the newly created position of chief executive.

The club, which has won its first three matches in League Two this season, announced the appointment today.

Chairman Irving Weaver said Ms Barry, who was managing director of former local radio station Stray FM, had a “wealth of experience and business acumen in leading a team”.

He added:

“It is an exciting time as fans return to football and with Harrogate Town’s first full season with fans in League Two and I am delighted that Sarah is going to join us in a new role as chief executive officer.”

Harrogate-born Ms Barry began her career in advertising sales after leaving university and joined Stray FM in 1994.

She said:

“I have always known there was something very special about this club, its people and spirit. From the start, I felt aligned with what it represents so this move feels very natural for me.

“I’m passionate about my hometown and nothing can bring people together like football can, which I also love, so I am incredibly excited to be joining.

Ms Barry will take up her role on September 13.

Read more:

 

Future of Bewerley Park to be decided in the autumn

North Yorkshire County Council has said the review of its outdoor learning centre at Bewerley Park in Pateley Bridge generated a big response.

There was widespread opposition to an announcement in February this year that the future of the two council-run centres — Bewerley Park and East Barnby near Whitby — were under threat. Both centres experienced a dramatic loss of income due to covid.

As a result, senior county councillors voted to review the outdoor learning service.

The review collected feedback from hundreds of adults, children, stakeholders and organisations and looked at the range of facilities and activities the service offers to schools, children and young people.

Read More:

It has also looked at the number of people who use the service and the cost of operating it.

Questionnaires were also sent to members of the public, staff and schools in North Yorkshire.

East Barnaby outdoor learning centre

A report containing a recommendation for the future of the outdoor learning service will now go before the council’s executive in autumn.

Cllr Patrick Mulligan said:

“We have had a very high response to questionnaires and engagement exercises and would like to thank everyone who took the time to give their feedback.

“That information is now being used along with extensive data from both residential sites to come up with the most suitable recommendation for the future of outdoor learning services in North Yorkshire.

“The ultimate goal is to ensure we are making the best use of facilities and opportunities for young people in the county and to ensure this is a sustainable service fit for the future.”

Schools have used the facilities at Bewerley Park and East Barnby this summer for day activities.

While the review continues, both sites will be open to schools for residential visits in the forthcoming academic year.

Weeds blitz in Harrogate town centre

A cleaning crew has been tacking weeds on some of Harrogate busiest shopping streets to improve the town’s appearance.

Contractors have been pulling up weeds and using herbicides for three consecutive nights on streets including Victoria Avenue, Cambridge Street, Albert Street, Crescent Road and Oxford Street.

They are acting on behalf of Harrogate Business Improvement District, which has a remit to enhance the town centre appearance.

Over the last 18 months it has also power washed pavements and street furniture, increased floral displays and brightened empty shop windows.

Matthew Chapman, manager of Harrogate BID, said town centre weeds had been a “major talking point”, adding:

“The team worked for a number of nights pulling weeds by hand, using garden tools as well as spraying them with an environmentally-safe herbicide.

“With autumn and winter just around the corner, we hope this work will mean they are kept at bay until the spring.

“For our levy payers, it’s imperative that Harrogate looks at its best at all times, and that’s what we are working hard to achieve.”

Read more:

 

Ripon Farm Services increases revenue to £117m

Ripon Farm Services increased revenue and profit in the last financial year despite covid, according to newly published accounts.

The company, which employs 270 staff, grew revenue by 10 per cent from £106.6m to £117.2m.

Gross profit went up by seven percent from £13.1m to £13.9m

The details are contained in the company’s annual report and financial statement for the financial year ending January 31, 2021, which has just been published on the Companies House website.

Ripon Farm Services, which is based on Dallamires Lane in Ripon, sells and services agricultural machinery and accessories as well as provides paint and body shop services. Its major supplier is John Deere.

‘Grateful for furlough’

The report says the company’s paint and body shop services were “significantly impacted” by covid due to the reduction in road traffic.

It adds directors were “grateful” for furlough minimising the impact of coronavirus and protecting jobs.

Director Geoffrey Brown said in the report that sales grew “despite a reduction in the agricultural vehicle market”.

He adds the economic impact of covid on the agricultural sector “has not been as significant as other sectors”.

Read more:

The company has also benefited from John Deere having a “strong comprehensive portfolio of products and continues to have the largest market share in the UK and globally”, according to the report.

The directors of Ripon Farm Services are listed in the report as Stewart Hymas, Paul Brown, Geoffrey Brown and Joseph Widdup.

New Lifestyle Editor starts work at the Stray Ferret

The new lifestyle editor at the Stray Ferret is on the lookout for stories from across the Harrogate district.

Nina Meads will cover a wide variety of topics – from food and drink, to home and garden, beauty and wellness and family and leisure.

Nina has been a journalist for more than 15 years, working as both a senior reporter and news editor at The Harrogate Advertiser series and Scarborough Evening News.

She worked as a senior reporter at The Yorkshire Post, before being appointed as education correspondent, and has also worked as a freelance writer for regional and national titles.

Read More: 

Nina, who lives in Hampsthwaite, said:

“I’ve spent the majority of my career covering stories in the Harrogate district, so I know I am completely spoilt for choice when it comes to lifestyle content, however I am always looking for fresh ideas and inspiration.

“I will be providing an insight into what’s on across the district, featuring everything from the latest beauty treatments to what’s causing a stir on the district’s food and drink scene, to free activities with your family, cutting edge interior design and quirky classic car collections.

“I really want to explore beneath the surface of this incredible district and celebrate the people and stories that make it so special.”

Tamsin O’Brien, editor of the Stray Ferret, added:

“We are delighted that Nina is joining the team as an experienced journalist. We’ve grown a large readership covering news stories in the district.

“Nina’s role will be to expand on what we offer and reflect more broadly on life in the Harrogate district – what our interests are and how we choose to spend our time and money in this beautiful part of the world.”

What would you like Nina to write about? Get in touch on nina@thestrayferret.co.uk

 

Fire Ants’ fight to establish rugby league in Harrogate

A group of rugby league players struggling to establish the sport in the Harrogate district are taking on a fundraising challenge next month to raise money for their club.

Harrogate Fire Ants has had a short but turbulent existence. Founded last year, it first found it difficult to train because of covid and then at the beginning of this year the club had to rebuild from scratch after a change in personnel at the helm.

The team only had eight players for its first match in June but its fortunes picked up after Laura Symmonds, whose husband Tommy O’Sullivan plays for the Fire Ants, took charge and recruited new players.

The season has now ended and preparations for 2022 have begun. Weekly training takes place at Harrogate Railway FC in Starbeck, where the club is based, and there is also a weekly fun rugby-style fitness camp on the Stray for men and women of all abilities. Newcomers are welcome.

Some Fire Ants players are planning to complete the Yorkshire Three Peaks challenge on September 12 to raise funds for the club.

Read more:

Fire Ants player Jonny Binns said:

“it was tough at first and we thought we would have to fold. We were not in a great position. We had no one to run the club and were training on the Stray with very low numbers and struggling to recruit.

“Through Laura’s hard work we are now in a great position to build as a club and we are working hard to recruit new players.

“We have a new kit on the way and recently secured the help from a local coach. We have built a strong committee who are all very committed and hard working. We all believe that the Harrogate Fire Ants has a bright future ahead.”

You can support the Fire Ants’ Yorkshire Three Peaks challenge here.

Money raised from the challenge will also go towards Harrogate Hospital and Community Charity.

 

 

New event organiser set to take over Harrogate Christmas Market

Harrogate Borough Council has said it will now ‘actively work’ with a new event organiser on a Christmas market this year after unsuccessful talks with the current organisers this morning.

Representatives from Harrogate Christmas Market Ltd, which created the market on Montpellier Hill, met two council officers to resolve a dispute that erupted when the council refused to grant a licence for this year’s event due to safety concerns.

But after 90 minutes of talks the council issued a statement saying alternative locations “have been refused” and that it would now “move forward to ensure Harrogate hosts safe, vibrant and attractive Christmas festivities this year”.

A spokesman added:

“Another event organiser has approached us with great enthusiasm to bring their business and expertise to Harrogate town centre this Christmas. And we will now actively work with them to help formalise that discussion.”

He declined to say who the event organiser was.

Read more:

Brian Dunsby, one of the current organisers, told the Stray Ferret the council officers at today’s meeting had agreed there was no better alternative to Montpellier Hill.

An assessment of alternative Christmas market locations conducted on behalf of the organisers this year considered Valley Gardens, the Great Yorkshire Showground, Victoria Avenue and Princes Square, Cambridge Street and Oxford Street, West Park Stray and Oatlands Drive Stray, the Dragon Road car park, the Majestic Hotel, the Cairn Hotel, Hornbeam Park, Harrogate Convention Centre – and concluded the current location was the best.

Mr Dunsby, who has been warned by council leader Richard Cooper not to try to galvanise support for his cause, said:

“We’ve been through every conceivable location and can’t find one that has anywhere near the capacity of Montpellier Hill and it just doesn’t work as well anywhere else.”

Two Christmas markets?

Mr Dunsby said he was “absolutely livid” at the prospect of losing the market he and his team have built up into such a major event. Nevertheless they planned to resubmit their event management plan to address issues raised by the council about the current site.

Mr Dunsby said he was open to the town centre hosting a second Christmas market in December in addition to the established one.

His team currently has 170 traders and 53 coaches arranged for this year’s event, which was expected to attract 85,000 people and generate £2.5 million for the local economy from November 18 to 21. Mr Dunsby said he had received “massive support” from traders, adding.

“It’s a very frustrating situation. The event has been successful for the last eight years. Harrogate needs a Christmas market and this is the right place to have it.”

 

Some Kilinghall peacocks could be re-homed

Some of Killinghall’s peacocks could be re-homed following longstanding concerns about noise and damage.

The number of peacocks in the village has expanded rapidly in recent years and there are currently believed to be between nine and 16 birds roaming freely.

Some villagers love them but others, particularly those living in the Cautley Drive area where they roost, have complained about noise and damage.

In a social media post today. Killinghall Parish Council clerk Sue Reid said it had contacted Harrogate Borough Council, the Department for Food and Rural Affairs, the RSPCA and a peacock breeding organisation for help.

But because nobody owns the birds, and they wander around, nobody is responsible for their welfare — or any problems they create.

Some people in the village have said they suffer long-term sleep deprivation due to the birds’ loud screeching.

Read more:

Ms Reid’s post said:

“We understand that the situation with the peacocks has caused a huge divide in opinion.

“We would urge residents to try to be understanding of each other’s experiences and opinions of these birds.”

‘Difficult situation’

Speaking to the Stray Ferret, Ms Reid said depending on the outcome of the RSPCA welfare checks, it was likely some of the birds would be re-homed by a peacock society in southern England.

She added some peacocks would remain in the village.

She also stressed the council was impartial on the issue but was acting in response to numerous complaints by villagers — not only by newcomers but also by people who have lived in Killinghall for years. She said:

“It is a very difficult situation and we are trying to do the best we can.”

Bilton’s resident peacock Peter was recently re-homed following concerns about his health.